


Snowed In

by TDKeh16



Series: Tumblr Fics and Prompts [36]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Blizzards & Snowstorms, Bonding, Developing Friendships, Epikegster, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Snow, past homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 17:31:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11879373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TDKeh16/pseuds/TDKeh16
Summary: A blizzard finds Bitty stranded in Montréal for a few days after the events of Epikegster in Year Two. When the power goes out at Jack's house, the boys curl up in front of the fireplace and have a heart-to-heart.





	Snowed In

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt was sent to me sooooo long ago by [@legojacques](https://tmblr.co/mGbwuNNK_gyuhYakshRXmvA). Thank you for your patience! I hope it was worth the wait!
> 
> Note: This is an AU where Bitty and Jack have a heart-to-heart after the events of epikegster, and then the rest of year 2 goes on to happen as it does in canon. Pre-relationship friendship, ftw! Courtesy of Bitty's ridiculously impractical flight itinerary lol  
> 
> 
> * * *

This was _**not**_ how Bitty’s winter break was supposed to start. He never should have used that cheap airfare website. At the time he booked it, the Boston to Montréal, Montréal to Atlanta itinerary did not seem so bad. Weird, yes, but not bad. 

Getting to travel the first leg of his trip with Jack did not hurt either. Bitty could not help but snicker as Jack struggled to hide his surprise at the cookies stashed in his carry-on. “Yes. I packed an entire batch of cookies for this flight. I know it’s only an hour and fifteen minutes, but… playing hockey burns a lot of calories, so we gotta eat lots of small meals.”

The employee raised an eyebrow. “Is a batch of chocolate chip cookies the best meal choice?”

“They’re not your _grandmother’s_ chocolate chip cookies–” Bitty stopped himself. “Actually, they _are **my**_ MooMaw’s basic recipe, but with a healthier twist.”

“Oh?”

“They have more protein.” Bitty grinned when Jack made a soft “hah” laugh. It was good to see him smile after the events of epikegster. This was shaping up to be a good day.

The day went south just as their flight was arriving up north. The pilot announced over the speaker that a storm was starting up, and that the landing would be rocky. Jack stared out Bitty’s window intently with a soft frown on his face. 

Bitty tried to keep his composure, but the first big jolt of turbulence elicited a quiet yelp from the back of his throat. “Sorry, so embarrassing…” He blushed and shyly looked over at Jack.

Jack was rigid and pressed as far back in his seat as possible, his eyes closed. He was taking slow, deep breaths, but his exhales were a bit shakey.

“Jack? Are you okay?”

“I'm  _fine_ ,” Jack snapped before he could correct himself. “Sorry, just…”

“It’s okay.”

“Hey… Bittle?” Jack asked with his eyes still closed. 

“Yes, Jack?”

“Could you… No, nevermind. It’s stupid.”

“Here…” Bitty smiled at him even though he could not see it, and grabbed Jack’s hand, gently prying his white knuckles off of the armrest.

A light pink flush spread across Jack’s cheeks, but he smiled and gave a soft chuckle. “Thanks, Bittle.”

“Anytime. Really.” Bitty was afraid of how much he meant it. His crush on Jack was still new, and the events of epikegster were still fresh in his mind – Bitty was afraid of being yet another friend that pushed his personal agenda onto Jack with no regard to his feelings.

Still, the warmth of Jack’s hand in his felt so right somehow – Bitty was afraid of that too. Turbulence, he could handle, but _this?_

“Would looking out the window help?” Bitty suggested when another rocky patch resulted in Jack squeezing his hand.

“I can’t really see from here anyway. It’s okay.”

“You can lean on my shoulder? Or I can describe it to you? Let’s see, it’s… All I see is white!”

Jack’s eyes snapped open. Had the storm gotten so bad that they were landing in a whiteout? “ _What?_ ”

“Wow. I didn’t have a window seat there or back when I went home for Christmas last year… Snow is really breath-taking from above.”

Jack relaxed a little more, enough to chirp, at least. “You gonna start liking winter finally, Bittle?”

“Oh, shush. I like  _winter_  just fine, it’s the _cold_ that gets to me. If only there was some way to have warm snow…” Bitty sighed.

“That’s called water, Bittle.”

“That’s enough out of you, Mr. Zimmermann.” Bitty chuckled. Jack was certainly more relaxed now, but another jerk of the plane caused him to tighten his grip on Bitty’s hand again. Bitty leaned against him a little so their arms were touching. “You know… my ears are popping something fierce. I bet we’ll be safely on the ground _aaany_ minute now. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“You’re good at this.”

Bitty smiled. “Thanks. You’ve helped me so much… I’m happy to return the favour any way I can.”

“Maybe I should bring you with me every time I fly…”

“You’ll have to write me into whatever NHL contract you end up signing.”

“I’m sure it’s possible.”

Bitty laughed. “Not that I’m not flattered that you’re considering me for this _**prestigious**_ position… but if Shitty ever found out you picked a friend to snuggle with on trips and it wasn't him…”

“You’re right. He’d never forgive me.”

“We’d never hear the end of it – _nobody_ would.”

The plane touched down, but neither man tried to let go of the other’s hand until it had come to a complete stop. “Uh… thanks. Again.”

“My pleasure– Or, well–” Bitty cleared his throat. “Like I said, happy to help anytime.” He self-consciously tucked his hand into the pocket of his sweatshirt. 

Their high spirits did not last long. “Looks like you’re one of the last flights in,” an airport employee casually mentioned as the young men headed out the gate.

“Wait, what?” Bitty stopped dead in his tracks. “What do you mean? Flights are still leaving though, right?”

“Nope. Nothing in or out until this storm ends.”

Bitty turned toward Jack, but he was no longer beside him. Instead, Jack was about 10 feet away, speaking to another employee in hurried French. Bitty lingered off to the side, not wanting to interrupt, nor seem like he was eavesdropping – even if he had no clue what they were saying.

Jack thanked the employee and turned back to where he had last seen Bitty. Eyes frantically scanned the moving crowd until he spotted a familiar blond cowlick near the wall. “Bittle! They’re cancelling all outgoing flights.”

“I heard. I suppose I better call my parents and see about getting a hotel room before they all fill up. I hope it’s not too expensive…” Bitty replied, partially just thinking out loud.

“Bittle,” Jack said sternly, startling Bitty out of his thoughts. 

“Yes?”

“Come on. You're not staying in a hotel.” Jack nudged his arm. “Let’s go grab our bags. You're staying with me.”

“I don’t want to be a bother…”

“It’s no bother. Unless, _you_ don’t want to–”

“No! I do! Um– Are you sure your parents won’t mind?”

 "They’re not here. They’re in the ‘Meditarean’ right now. Their flight was supposed to come in tonight, but I guess that’s not happening now. My dad texted me while we were in the air – their flight was cancelled too, so they’re going to spend a couple days in Switzerland and book a new flight after the weekend.“

“They’ll be home in time for Christmas, won’t they?”

“Yeah, I’m sure they will. You’ll be home in time, too. Don’t worry, Bittle.”

******

“I'm  _really_  sorry about this, Jack…” Bitty said sheepishly. 

“This is why I wanted to catch the earlier shuttle from Samwell,” Jack said in an even tone. “I was afraid our luggage wouldn’t make it on the plane on time.”

“Well, I beg your pardon, but who shows up _that_ early to the airport?”

“You’re supposed to arrive early for an international flight, Bittle.”

“ _Six_ hours early, Mr. Zimmermann? Really? _**Six hours**_.”

Jack chuckled. “Okay, maybe that would be a little too early. On the other hand, we _would_ have our luggage…”

“Oh, hush.” Bitty hit him lightly in his arm while Jack snickered. “I  _am_  sorry, though.”

“It’s okay. Really. I’m just teasing. They will courier our bags here when they arrive, no problem. You’ll have it before your flight on Tuesday, for sure.”

Bitty sorted through what he had packed in his carry-on. “Oh, for crying out loud…” He muttered to himself, punctuated with a frustrated sigh. “I forgot my toothbrush.”

“There’s a Couche-Tard down the street. We can probably get one there.”

“A what?”

“It’s a convenience store. Like 7/11, but with an owl.”

“A real owl?”

“No, just on the sign.”

Bitty was a little disappointed. “Well, I suppose that’s more _sanitary_ …”

Jack chuckled and put an arm around Bitty’s shoulder. “Come on, Bittle. We should go now before the storm gets any worse. Did you forget anything else?”

“I don’t think so." 

"Ok, great.”

At the store, Bitty grabbed a toothbrush while Jack grabbed some last minute groceries to supply them for the weekend. “Um… Jack? I remembered something else I don’t have.”

“Yeah?”

“Money, unless this convenience store takes foreign currency… I wasn’t expecting I would be in Canada long enough to buy anything…”

Jack’s brow furrowed. “What? I’m buying everything, Bittle.”

“Even  _my toothbrush?_ ” Bitty laughed.

“Yes." 

"Well, I owe you then. The next five coffee dates at Annie’s are on me. Or– not dates per se, um, excursions? Coffee excursions.”

Jack laughed and paid for their items. They returned to his house just as the storm started picking up. 

Bitty was still shivering when Jack skyped his parents five minutes later. “Bittle, son, are you cold?” Bob asked with concern.

“Oh, uh…” Bitty blushed lightly, and breifly considered denying it out of fear of looking weak to the hockey legend. “Yes sir, but only a little. It was really windy on our walk back from the store. I’ll be okay in a few more minutes, I'm sure.”

The Zimmermanns were having no part of it, and both parents turned their attention to their son. “Jack! Get your guest a blanket!”

“Get a fire going in the fireplace!”

“Oh, that’s okay. I’m not–” Bitty tried to protest but Jack was already up and gone to grab him the warmest blanket he could find. Bitty looked sheepishly back at the screen. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation…”

“Nonsense! Jack will be back in a minute. We can talk to you in the meantime,” Alicia reassured him. 

Bitty smiled. Jack’s parents were always so wonderful to him. He never would have expected superstars to be so down-to-earth. “Well then, tell me about your trip! Have you done a lot of skiing in Switzerland? What’s the ‘Meditarean’ like?”

Bob and Alicia looked at each other and she started laughing. “Don’t look at _me!_ That one is entirely on you!”

“Well, _**I**_ can’t explain it! I can’t pronounce the damn word either!” Bob said with a playful grin.

Alicia sighed and shook her head, trying her best to contain her giggle. “We’ve only been in Switzerland the one day. We were in the _Mediterranean_ for two weeks before that." 

"Oh?” Bitty blinked. “I thought ‘The Meditarean’ was the name of your hotel or something.”

It was enough to set Bob and Alicia off into another fit of giggles, with Alicia trying to get her husband to sound the word out and Bob too busy chirping her in return about her inability to properly roll her Rs when she spoke French. When Jack returned a minute later, his parents were still playfully bickering and Bitty was watching them with an amused grin. 

“What’s this?” Jack asked as he plopped a large blanket over Bitty’s shoulders and awkwardly tucked it around him.

Bitty adjusted it until he was comfortable and turned to his captain. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you meant 'Mediterranean’ earlier. I think I may have started something, here…” He looked back at the screen.

Bob was wiping tears from his eyes from laughing so hard and Alicia had buried her head in the crook of his neck. The sound of her laughter was muffled by his sweater, but her shoulders were shaking. Bob tapped her back when he noticed Jack had returned. “Sorry about that. Everything is funnier after 2am.”

“2am?!” Bitty gasped. “Oh lord! I didn’t even think about the time difference!”

“The wine doesn’t help,” Alicia admitted, stifling another giggle.

“Okay, well…” Jack leaned in a little closer to the laptop. “I was just calling to check in and everything, so… We can talk again tomorrow.”

They exchanged goodbyes and Jack disconnected the call. Bitty gave a small frown. “I’m sorry. I guess I kind of derailed your conversation with your parents…”

“Don’t apologize, Bittle. It was nothing.” Jack offered him a small smile.

“Your parents are really sweet. It looks like they have a lot of fun together.”

“They do,” Jack said, looking over at the kitchen. “Are you hungry? Let me make some dinner.”

“I can help!” Bitty hopped to his feet, immediately regretting that he had shed the warm blanket in the process. A chill went straight down his back. He snatched the blanket back up off the floor, and shuffled after Jack to the kitchen. “What can I do? What are we making?”

Jack opened a package of hot dogs and plopped them into a pot of water that had yet to boil. “Hot dogs. You like them, right?”

It did not fit with Jack’s usual healthy diet, but it occurred to Bitty that he had never seen Jack cook around the Haus. One night eating meat of questionable origins wouldn’t hurt, but Bitty was determined to make them both a proper breakfast in the morning. “Oh sure. Thanks, Jack.”

It did not take long to 'cook’ and soon Bitty was settled in front of the fireplace with two hotdogs on his plate, and the blanket wrapped so tightly around him that the only movement he could manage was the action of bringing the food from his plate to his mouth with one hand.

Jack chuckled and sat down beside him with his own plate. He set a beer down in front of Bitty and took a long sip from his own. He let out a large sigh and stared at the fire for a moment before turning his attention to Bitty’s beer. “You don’t have to drink that if you don’t want.”

“No, it’s okay. Thanks, Jack.”

“Must feel weird that you’re actually old enough to drink that here, eh?”

Bitty chuckled and took a sip. “A little.”

“Heh,” Jack hummed out a pleased sound and took another sip of his own beer, looking back at the fire.

Bitty went to take a bite but stopped himself when a sudden unwelcome thought forced itself into his head. “Hm…” He frowned at his plate.

“What?” Jack turned away from the fire.

“It’s stupid. Never mind.”

“What is it, Bittle?” Jack asked in his 'captain’ voice, which sounded a little more stern than intended.

“Oh, um, just…” Bitty sighed. “It’s just a dumb memory. I just realized the last time I ate a hotdog around a teammate… Someone made a crack about, well, _wieners_ and _mouths_ and me so…”

Jack stared at him, hard and serious. Bitty squirmed uncomfortably under his intense stare. “Who said that?”

“Oh, just one of the guys on my team… it was juvenile and asinine. I–”

“Bittle. **Who** was it? Why didn’t you tell me? Or Shitty? Or Rans or–”

“Oh! No, no! Not at _Samwell!_ I meant back in high school. Are you kidding me? Our team has been incredible! I never thought I would feel this comfortable with a bunch of college jocks, even with Samwell’s reputation, but all the boys were so wonderful when I came out. I wasn’t out in Madison, of course, and I got along with everyone for the most part, but there were still a couple guys that would make a joke or two.”

Jack’s frown relaxed a little with relief that the crude remark had not been made by someone on his team. "That’s awful.“

"It’s fine, really. Still beats my daddy’s old football team. I don’t even know why that popped into my head just now. The brain is a funny thing, huh?” Bitty laughed it off.

“I’ve–”

The lights suddenly turned off, plunging the house into complete darkness, save for the light from the fireplace. Bitty yelped.

“Power’s gone out,” Jack said matter-of-factly.

“Well, at least we have the fire…” Bitty said with a small smile and took a bite of his hotdog. He washed it down with a gulp of beer. “Lucky you called your parents when you did, too. They probably would have been worried if we’d been disconnected right in the middle and they couldn’t call back.”

“They probably would have assumed it was the storm.”

“Oh, true. I forget not all parents are worrywarts like my mama,” Bittle said with a small laugh.

“I’ve worried my parents _enough_ for one lifetime… maybe _ten_.”

Bitty took another bite and watched Jack silently as he chewed. He wanted to give Jack a chance to speak if he wished to, and a mouthful of food was the best way to ensure Bitty kept his mouth shut. He swallowed and Jack still had not said anything else, so Bitty spoke up. “Um, Jack?”

“Yeah, Bittle?”

“I just… if you ever need to talk, I’m here. You know, _literally_ here this time, but even back at school, or through Skype or texts…”

“Thanks, Bittle.”

“Only if you want to; I know it’s not my business…”

Jack sighed and finished his beer. “Did you… hear me and Parse fighting at the kegster?”

“I wasn’t eavesdropping, I swear! I was going to lock my phone in my room but then I dropped my key, and–”

“Bittle. It’s okay. How much did you hear?”

“Oh, um… Not much really. More like the _sounds_  of fighting rather than actual words, and then…” Bitty’s face went red. “Well, not really any sounds, and then more fighting. Then the door opened and the rest you know…”

“Okay.” Jack looked back at the fire with an unreadable expression on his face. 

“You don’t have to tell me what your fight was about. I won’t–”

“He wants me to play in Vegas. He just–” Jack scoffed. “He wants things to go back to the way they used to be, but we can’t– _**I** can’t_ do that again. I’ve worked hard, and so has he… and what we had before– it can’t happen again. I’m a different person now. I’ve worked hard to get here on my own.”

“You have, Jack. You really have. You should be proud.”

“And to get a free ride to Las Vegas because my– because  _Parse_ called in a favour? Does he think _that_ would make my dad proud? He just…”

Bitty had never heard Jack vent out frustration like this unless it was specifically about hockey. This was hockey-related, of course, but more about his plans for the future. “I think your parents will be proud of you no matter where you play.”

“Yeah…”

“I mean it, Jack. We’re _all_ so proud of you. As long as you’re somewhere that makes you happy, your family and friends will be happy too.” Bitty reached over and touched Jack’s arm. Jack flinched and Bitty immediately withdrew. “I’m so sorry! I shouldn'tve just touched you like–”

“Your hands are so cold!” Jack exclaimed and rubbed his arm where Bitty had touched. “Bittle, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m okay, really. The power went out so the heat’s off – the blanket and fire are enough!” Bitty tried to assure him, but Jack was already stoking the fire to make it bigger. 

Jack left the room and returned with 3 more blankets. He laid one out on the floor in front of the fire, wrapped the second around Bitty, and draped the third over both of their shoulders as he pulled Bitty closer to him. “Here, give me your hands.”

Bitty hesitantly freed his hands from the mass of blankets. Jack rubbed his flat hands together rapidly for ten seconds then closed them around Bitty’s frozen fingers. Bitty yelped with surprise at the sudden heat. “Wow!”

“The friction makes them extra warm. My dad used to do this when I played outside too long in the snow.”

Bitty smiled, trying to picture Jack as a small child. He knew there were bound to be pictures around the house, but it was too dark to see them now, and Jack’s hands were too warm to let go. “What did you do in the snow for so long?”

“I dunno. Build forts? Sometimes I would bring toys outside and pretend the snowbanks were mountains. Tobogganing. You know, kid stuff.”

“I didn’t get much snow growing up in Georgia.”

“We’ll have to make a fort tomorrow after all this snowfall. You don’t know what you’re missing.” Jack smiled.

“Deal. I’ll make you a nice big breakfast and you can teach me the art of making a proper snow fort. Also, what a snow fort is even for?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, what do you do with it? Just sit inside?”

“Basically. Then we go back in the house and drink hot chocolate.”

Bitty laughed. “Isn’t that a little sweet for your tastes, Mr. Zimmermann?”

“Not after a long day of playing outside,” Jack answered back completely serious.

Bitty laughed again and Jack let go of his hands. “Sorr–” he stopped himself when he saw it was only so that Jack could warm his hands again. “Thank you.”

“No problem, Bittle.”

“Not just my hands, I mean thank you for everything. Checking practice, and letting me stay here, and buying my toothbrush…” The last part made Jack snicker, and Bitty felt a pain in his chest. He was suddenly all-too-aware of how close they were sitting to one another, how warm Jack’s hands were, how wonderful it was when Jack laughed that way – the little snicker he made whenever he thought something dumb was funny – like shoe checks, or Bitty’s convenience store toothbrush. “…You’re a really good friend.”

It hurt because it was true. Jack was a good friend. Far from the moody and intimidating captain who Bitty met when he first started at Samwell a year and a half earlier. He seemed like an entirely different person now, or maybe this was just the side of Jack that friends got to see. This goofy dork who spent most of his time watching hockey highlights and historical documentaries, or trying to wrestle his usually naked best friend out of his room. Jack was his friend, and Bitty had no business hoping for that to change. It would never happen. It was enough that he had Jack as a friend. It had to be enough.

“Thanks, Bittle. So are you,” Jack replied. 

The sincerity in Jack’s eyes wrenched something in Bitty’s chest, and suddenly he was fighting back the urge to cry. _No_. Bitty was _**not**_ going to start crying and give himself away. He had spent his entire life pushing his feelings down and he was not about to change that because of Jack Zimmermann and his stupid blue eyes and dumb quirky smile… or not smile… frown? Oh no, why was Jack frowning?

“Are you okay?” Jack asked quietly, calmly. His eyes did not fit his voice – they looked worried, nervous.

Bitty pulled his hands away and turned towards the fireplace for any excuse not to have to look at Jack’s eyes. “What? Of course! I’m fine!” He laughed, and hoped Jack did not notice how hollow that sounded. Bitty kept a smile plastered on his face and stretched his arms to warm his hands by the fire instead.

“Bittle… I’m really sorry.”

That struck Bitty as odd, and he turned back to find Jack looking solemn and remorseful. “Jack?” He asked as his captain slipped out from their joint blanket and sat on the couch instead.

Bitty had never seen him look that way before, and he had seen Jack a lot of ways – even giddy. Now, he looked like some mixture of defeated – like when Bitty found him speaking French on the phone at the loading dock of Faber, and distressed – like after his fight with Kent Parson. 

“Jack?” Bitty repeated, more worried than before. 

“I…” Jack raked his hair back with his fingers. His voice sounded raw. “I’m sorry. That stuff with Parse… You don’t have to worry about me, okay?”

Bitty let out a short laugh, a mixture of surprise and the desire to brighten the mood. “Well, then you don’t know me very well Mr. Zimmermann, because I worry about _all_ of my friends – _especially_ when they’re upset.”

Jack’s brow furrowed and he took a moment to understand what Bitty was talking about. He grew up speaking English with his mom, but sometimes a word or two got jumbled in his head – the proper pronunciation of 'Mediterranean’ being one of them. He repeated his own words back in his head, to see where the confusion lied, because Bitty’s reaction did not fit what he had been trying to say. “No, I… I didn’t mean it like 'don’t worry _for my sake_ ,’ I meant… you don’t have to worry _because of me_.”

It was Bitty’s turn to make the puzzled frown. “I’m sorry, Jack. I just have no clue what you mean…" 

Jack huffed, frustrated at his own inability to clearly say what he meant. "Me and Parse… We were young and under a lot of pressure and sometimes it felt like all we had was each other…” Jack let out a small groan when he saw how patiently Bitty was waiting to hear him out. “And _hormones_ , and… I won’t go down that road again.”

“Cold,” was all Bitty could say at first, which made Jack wince. Bitty rushed to explain. “No, no, I meant you look cold. Come back to the blankets, Jack, please.”

Jack was hesitant, but obliged. He pulled the blanket back over his shoulders, this time not sharing it with Bitty, who was still bundled in two others. They were quiet for what seemed like ages. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I know you don’t really like touching… and after you catching Parse and I…” He sighed. “I just want you to know that you can trust me.”

Bitty smiled gently. “I do trust you. You’re my friend.”

Jack smiled back. “Thanks, Bittle.”

It was a bittersweet moment for Bitty. The confusion he had felt since catching Jack and Kent Parson at the tail end of a fight that seemed out of the scope of 'friends,’ and the momentary hope that maybe for once he didn’t have a hopeless crush on a straight boy – dashed by the realization that it did not make it any less hopeless. Still, that Jack valued his friendship, that he trusted Bitty with any of this – even if it had come around accidentally, and Jack was being careful not to define his relationship with Kent – it meant a lot to Bitty.

Jack looked down, busied himself with a frayed stitch on his blanket, so he would not have to make more eye contact. “About the stuff with Kent… nobody knows. Not even Shitty.”

“Jack, honey, you have to know that I would never tell someone else your secret…”

“No, I know, but…”

Bitty reached out and touched his arm again. “It’s safe with me.”

Jack smiled softly and nodded. He exhaled, like he had been holding his breath much longer than Bitty had noticed. “Okay.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay, but  _do_  you want to talk about it? If I’m the only one who knows… I mean, Shitty was the first person I ever came out to, and he’s your best friend. I know for a fact he’d be understanding if you told  _him_.”

“I know he would. Hell, I’m sure most of the guys would… but someone overhears something, and a rumour starts, the Swallow digs its claws in, and suddenly teams decide I’m not worth the risk. Five years later and _still_ surrounded by drama. I ruined my shot once, I’m not doing it again.”

“I understand. I wish I could tell you that you were wrong, but honestly? I’m not sure. If you’re happy, then I think that’s enough for now.”

“And I know you’re probably not his biggest fan right now, but Kent… nobody can know about him, either. The pressure he’s under–”

“You shouldn’t be  _apologizing_  for him. He said such awful things–”

“…I thought you couldn’t hear anything.”

“I heard  _enough_ ,” Bitty said sternly, before his expression softened. “And I saw how you looked when he left…”

Jack sighed. “Listen, Bittle… It’s nice of you to worry, but I’m okay. He and I… there’s a lot more to the story. I’m not trying to make excuses for him, it’s just the truth. We _both_ owe each other a lot of apologies.”

“Can I ask you something personal?” Bitty asked, as though the conversation had not already taken that turn.

“You want to know if he’s my boyfriend,” Jack guessed, and Bitty nodded. “No. We, uh… we never really got that far, you know?”

Bitty did not know, but he nodded his head along as though he understood. “I see.”

Jack continued. “We were just kids, and we had all this pressure on us, but we had each other’s backs… or, we tried to, at least. We didn’t really know how to do that very well. And we’ve probably outgrown each other, but it’s hard to let go of the one person who knows you best, knows your biggest secret – even if that’s the healthiest option.”

“Well, he’s not the _only_ one who knows your–”

“I was talking about Parse. He’s not a bad guy, he’s just… stuck. He can’t move on from what we– _whatever_ we had in the past.” Jack sighed.

“Oh…”

“Sorry. Is this making you uncomfortable? We can talk about something else.”

“It’s okay.” Bitty turned his beer bottle,  picking at the label along the way. He let out a quiet laugh to break the silence.

“What is it?”

“I was just thinking… before I came here– or, well, not  _here_ , but Samwell – you’re pretty much the exact _last_ type of guy I would ever come out to.”

Jack frowned. “Bittle–”

“No, no, I know you  _ **now**_ … but before? When we  _first_  met? You were basically every scary jock I had ever met. The other guys were intimidating, sure, but they were silly and affectionate, at least.” Bitty shrugged. “You weren’t like that, you were serious. _Driven_. You certainly didn’t like me being on the team.”

“I was wrong.”

“Darn right, Mr. Zimmermann.”

Jack chuckled at Bitty’s cocky response. “Back then, I–”

“Shhh. I’m not done,” Bitty touched his arm again. “I was wrong about you too. Turns out we just needed some time to get to know each other. And now?”

“Now I think you’re a fantastic hockey player,” Jack answered before Bitty could continue.

“And now **_I_** know you’re just a giant dork who loves documentaries, and terrible music…” Bitty laughed.

“Hey, I have more interests that that!” Jack laughed. “I’ve been thinking about taking a photography class next semester.”

“Oh really, Mr. Zimmermann? You’re going to have your hands full with career choices, aren’t you? World-class photographer, history professor, NHL star, _and_ you can make a half-decent pie.”

“High praise coming from you, Bittle.” Jack chuckled and nudged him with his elbow. “But it’s the NHL. It’s always been the NHL for me. Hockey is…”

“Everything,” Bitty finished for him.

“ _Almost_ everything,” Jack corrected. “The friends I’ve made at Samwell, studying things other than hockey plays, getting a chance to figure out what I actually want… that’s not nothing. It’s been… huge for me. More than I ever imagined. And to come out of nearly four years at Samwell knowing that the NHL is actually _my_ goal, instead of some obligation to continue my dad’s legacy… that’s…”

“Ineffable?” Bitty offered.

“Um…? Maybe?” Jack chuckled. 

“Sorry, there I go with my 'five-dollar words’ again…” Bitty blushed.

Jack smiled. “Don’t apologize, it’s impressive. Maybe I should get you to proofread my thesis at the end of the year.”

“ _Good lord,_ no. Just roll me on into the fireplace instead, _**please**_.”

 Jack snickered. “What? You don’t want to read 60 pages about how WWII affected university athletics programs?”

“I have rarely wanted to read 60 pages at a time about my _own_ major, Mr. Zimmermann.” Bitty laughed. He shivered again as another chill ran down his back.

“Are you still cold?” Jack asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, yeah, chirp away!”

“Come here,” Jack pulled Bitty back in against him. “Or, uh… I mean… is this okay? If you–”

“It’s okay. I don’t understand how you’re so _warm_ right now, but I am certainly not complaining.”

“Heh,” Jack smiled and wrapped his arm a little tighter around Bitty’s shoulder. 

“It must feel strange for you to be snuggling a man who is fully clothed,” Bitty teased. Jack gasped quietly and Bitty realized how awful that joke had sounded. “Oh! I was talking about Shitty. Those Haus walls aren’t very thick, after all. I’ve heard plenty of attempted cuddle-sessions.”

Jack chuckled. “I think I like this kind better.”

“Me too. Well, not that I have much snuggling experience, mind you… but this is nice. I don’t know what I’m going to do if that power doesn’t come back on. I certainly can’t leave the fireside without freezing halfway to death in my sleep.”

“Are you tired?”

“Mm, a little.” Bitty yawned. “Okay, a _lot_.”

Jack yawned too. “Contagious,” he said, briefly covering his mouth. “We can sleep here, if you want.”

“Really? Wouldn’t you rather sleep in your proper bed?”

“What kind of captain would I be if I let my linemate freeze to death in my own living room?” Jack teased. He reached up and grabbed a couple of throw pillows from the couch. “Here.”

Bitty took a deep, nervous breath but allowed Jack to guide him onto his side. Jack followed suit, spooning him from behind.

“Is this okay? Are you warm enough?” Jack tucked his blanket behind himself and threw the remainder of it over his and Bitty’s bodies.

“It’s nice,” Bitty admitted, relaxing into the heat of Jack’s body pressed against his back. “Thank you, Jack.”

“Of course…” Jack mumbled drowsily. He let out a deep sigh that tickled the hairs on the back of Bitty’s head. “Good night, Bits…”

Bitty’s face flushed. Jack had never called him that before. Bitty wondered if he had even realized he had done it. He did not want to embarrass him by bringing attention to it, so he kept quiet. “Good night.”

******

Jack woke up an hour later to the single beep of the smoke alarm and the vague awareness of the lights flashing back on in the kitchen, signaling that the power had come back on. The fire had dimmed down to embers, and he knew he should wake Bitty up so that they could go sleep in proper, separate beds. He knew it, but something stopped him from doing so. There was something so comfortable about lying there with Bitty in his arms, tucked against his chest like he belonged there.

Jack told himself that it was the bundled layers of blankets that made Bitty feel like the perfect body pillow, and not the way Bitty had chatted so comfortably with his parents, or comforted him during turbulence, or the way his smile generally lit up any room he was in… but Jack knew the truth. There was just something about Bitty himself – even fast asleep he found a way to be a comforting presence to Jack. He wondered why it took him so long to see how incredible Bitty was, when the rest of their friends had been drawn to him almost immediately. 

Bitty squirmed a little in his cocoon of blankets, still asleep, but trying to inch down further under the covers. Jack chuckled quietly and tugged the blanket back over Bitty’s shoulders. He wrapped one arm around Bitty and held him closer. Bitty sighed happily, warm again. Jack drifted back to sleep with a happy sigh of his own, and dreamt of the snow fort they would make in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! I tried to keep it more fluffy than angsty lol  
> Don't worry, everything will still fall into place at Jack's graduation :)


End file.
